A sergeant opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart, a major U.S. Army installation in southeast Georgia, on Wednesday morning, leaving five servicemen injured but in stable condition, military officials confirmed.
The alleged shooter, identified as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, a logistics specialist, used a personal handgun in the attack, according to Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. The victims, all coworkers of Radford, were unarmed at the time of the incident.
The shooting occurred at the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area around 10:56 a.m. local time. The base went into lockdown as law enforcement moved in. Radford was apprehended at 11:35 a.m., just under an hour later, after being tackled and subdued by fellow soldiers who witnessed the shooting.
“These soldiers responded immediately and without hesitation, risking their own lives to prevent further harm,” said Gen. Lubas during a press conference. “Their actions were heroic.”
Three of the five wounded soldiers required surgery, but all are expected to recover. Families of the injured have been notified.
Questions Raised Over Base Firearm Restrictions
The incident has rekindled longstanding debates about U.S. military policies that prohibit most service members from carrying personal firearms on base, a rule in place for decades across installations like Fort Stewart.
Videos from the scene show uniformed soldiers running for cover, unarmed, amid the lockdown. Online commentary quickly questioned why trained service members couldn’t defend themselves in the moment.
Gen. Lubas clarified that the Army has strict protocols on weapon possession: “Only military police are routinely armed on base. Personal firearms are prohibited unless officially authorised by a senior commander.”
This regulation, rooted in Department of Defense policy, requires firearms to be stored in secure facilities and only checked out for sanctioned use, such as on shooting ranges or hunting grounds. Base leadership has limited flexibility to waive these rules, even in states like Georgia with some of the most permissive gun laws in the country.
National Security and Gun Rights
Robert Capovilla, a prominent military law attorney and former Army prosecutor, defended the strict regulations, citing national security.
“These are federal installations, some involved in top-secret operations. You can’t have personal weapons freely circulating,” Capovilla said. “Security is paramount.”
Yet others argue that the limitations expose service members to preventable risks. Former military prosecutor Eric Carpenter noted that while bases are secure by design, they are not immune to internal threats.
“Service members retain their constitutional rights,” Carpenter said. “But there’s very little base leadership can do if someone living off base decides to bring a weapon in. The existing system has cracks.”
He added that there is currently no clear protocol for seizing firearms from service members who may be experiencing mental health crises — a concern echoed by military safety advocates following mass shooting incidents in recent years.
Official Response and Investigation
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed sorrow over the shooting in a statement on X (formerly Twitter):
“We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers.”
Army investigators have interviewed Radford, and charges are pending. There is no indication he had previously served in a combat zone.
The investigation continues as authorities try to determine Radford’s motive and whether there were missed warning signs prior to the shooting.
Meanwhile, Fort Stewart, home to the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, remains under heightened security, and military officials say they are reviewing safety procedures in light of the attack.
Fort Stewart is located about 40 miles southwest of Savannah and is one of the largest military installations in the U.S. The base had briefly gone on lockdown during the shooting but has since resumed normal operations.
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